Gyrator feeder

ABSTRACT

A gyrator feeder that gyrates a dispensing member to uniformly and circumnavigating dispense material by generating a true circular orbital vibratory motion in the dispensing member by either rotating an offset weight along a vertical central axis of the dispensing member or by positioning vibratory motors diametrical opposite from each other on a gyrator housing and synchronizing the vibratory motors with each other to thereby dispense material.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

This invention relates generally to bin feeders and, more specifically,to a gyrator feeder.

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

None

STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH OR DEVELOPMENT

None

REFERENCE TO A MICROFICHE APPENDIX

None

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The concept of vibrating bin dischargers is known in the art. Typically,a vibrating bin discharger includes a cone that is placed beneath ahopper outlet with the cone vibrating in an up and down motion to propelmaterial from the hopper. A gate is positioned in the hopper to shut offthe flow of material from the hopper when the vibrating bin dischargeris not in use. One of the disadvantages of the known vibrating bindischargers is that the material can become compacted as the bindischarger vibrates. Another disadvantage is that the vibration of thecone requires large power requirements since the material in the hopperis lifted up during the vibration cycle. Another disadvantage is that ifthe material contains both large and small particles the vibrator motioncan cause segregation of the large and small particles through the upand down motion on the material.

U.S. Pat. No. 4,545,509 disclose a bin activator with a central feed anda vibration generator located radially offset from the center. While thevibratory action is described as generating a circular orbital motion tothe lower bowl the actual motion is not a true circular orbitalvibratory motion since the vibration motors are not located at thecentral vertical axis of the bin activator. As a result of thepositioning of the vibratory motors the vibratory motion the cone doesnot actually follow a circular path. As a result the feeder does notgenerate a uniform 360-degree delivery of material from a circularopening.

A further difficult with the bin activator shown in U.S. Pat. No.4,545,509 is that angle of the lower cone is so shallow that material ismaintained in the lower bowl rather than being empted out each time theactivator is shut off.

In contrast to the vibrating bin discharges the present invention usesgyrations of a dispensing member to control the flow of material withsubstantially true circular orbital vibratory motion.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Briefly, the present invention comprises a gyrator feeder that has adispensing member that moves to uniformly dispense material from thehopper. To provide flow shut off without use of a gate, a lip on thedispensing ledge of the dispensing member is positioned so that materialretained on the dispensing ledge is maintained at an angle less than theangle of repose of the material. The gyrator feeder dispenses materialuniformly and circumnavigatingly through a gyrator that generates a truecircular orbital vibratory motion in the dispensing member by eitherrotating an offset weight along a vertical central axis of thedispensing member or by positioning vibratory motors diametricalopposite from each other on a gyrator housing and synchronizing thevibratory motors with each other to thereby dispense material.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a partial sectional view of the gyrating bin discharger;

FIG. 2 is an isolated top view of the housing and the gyratingdispensing member;

FIG. 3 is a side view of the housing and gyrating dispensing member ofFIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is an isolated perspective of the housing without the gyratingdispensing member;

FIG. 5 is an isolated perspective view of the top of the housing withthe gyrating dispensing member and the vibrator drive motor secured tothe housing;

FIG. 6 is an isolated view of the bottom of the housing with thevibrator drive motor secured to the housing;

FIG. 7 is a sectional isolated view of the gyrating dispensing memberand the vibrator drive motor;

FIG. 8 is a partial sectional view of the hopper and the gyratingdispensing member when the vibratory drive motor is in the offcondition;

FIG. 9 illustrates the material flow when the dispensing member isgyrated in a circular motion by the vibrator drive motor;

FIG. 10 is an isolated sectional view of the dispensing ledge and lip onthe gyrating dispensing member for holding the material thereon at anangle less than the angle of repose of the material;

FIG. 11 shows the isolated section view of FIG. 10 with the dispensingmaterial thereon;

FIG. 11A is a partial cross section view of the dispensing member as itgyrates with respect to a hopper outlet;

FIG. 11B is identical to the view of FIG. 11A except the dispensingmember is in a different portion of the gyration cycle;

FIG. 11C shows a top isolated view of the dispensing member with acentral axis in a first off vertical condition;

FIG. 11D shows the top isolated view of the dispensing member of FIG.11C with the central axis of the dispensing member in a second offvertical condition;

FIG. 11E is a schematic of the circumnavigating path of the dispensingmember axis about a vertical axis;

FIG. 12 shows a top view of an alternate embodiment of a bin dischargerwith two vibratory motors located diametrically opposite each other onthe gyrator housing; and

FIG. 13 shows a side sectional view of the alternate embodiment of a bindischarge of FIG. 11 with two vibratory motors located diametricallyopposite each other on the gyrator housing.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

FIG. 1 shows a sectional view of a gyrator feeder 10 comprising a hopper11 having a top cylindrical section 11 a or inlet for placing materialsinto the hopper and a lower cylindrical section forming an outlet 11 b.A conical sidewall 11 c has a top end mating with cylindrical section 11c and a bottom section mating with cylindrical section 11 b to provide acentrally funneling flow path for material as it flows through hopper11.

Positioned proximate the outlet 11 b and partially obstructing theoutlet 11 b is a gyrator 12. Gyrator 12 includes a dispensing member 13,which in the preferred embodiment is a an activating cone that generallyhas a frusto conical shape. Dispensing member 13 has an annular lip 14that extends upward at an angle to retain material thereon. The hopper11 is fixedly supported by a stand 20 while the gyrator 12 is flexiblysupported on stand 20 with gyrator 12 positioned below hopper 11 toreceive material therefrom. (See FIG. 8) Reference numeral 90 indicatesthe vertical central axis 90 of the system 10. As can be seen in FIG. 1gyrator 12 has dispensing member 13 partially obstructing the outlet 11b with the dispensing member having annular lip 14 for retaining amaterial thereon when gyrator 12 is in an off condition and fordispensing material thereover when the gyrator 12 is gyrating.

The gyrator 12 includes a gyrator housing 21 having a radial extension21 a with a drive motor 22 secured to the underside of radial extension21 a. Motor 21 has a motor shaft 22 a with a drive pulley 22 b securedthereto with the drive pulley 22 b and motor shaft 22 a extending intothe interior space in housing radial extension 21 a. A belt 23 connectsdrive pulley 22 b to a pulley 26 on a rotateable member 22 that formspart of the internal gyrating unit 28. Rotateable member 22 comprises avertical shaft 27 rotateable supported by bearings 29 with shaft 27having offset weights 25 and 25 a secured thereto. When motor 22 isactivated it rotates shaft 27 through drive belt 23, which producesvibrations. However, instead of producing an up and down vibratorymotion the off balance rotation of shaft 27 at the center of the gyratorhousing produces a true circular orbital vibratory action of housing 21as opposed to bin activators that have vibrator sources that are off setfrom the center. Consequently, with a true circular orbital vibratorymotion the gyrator feeder delivers a more uniform flow.

In the embodiment shown in FIG. 1 the offset member for inducing thegyrations is centrally positioned in housing 12 with shaft 27 rotatingabout a central vertical axis 90 to thereby cause the gyrator housing 15to provide true circular orbital vibratory motion of the dispensingmember 13. That is the circular orbital vibratory motion occurs in anx-y plane because the offset weight is at the center rather than outsidethe center of the housing. Another embodiment for producing truecircular orbital vibratory motion of the dispensing member 13 wherevibrators are not located along a vertical central axis of the system isshown and described in FIGS. 12 and 13.

FIG. 2 shows an isolated top view of the gyrator 12 showing the gyratorhousing 21 with a flange 21 b for flexibly supporting gyrator 12.Centrally positioned within gyrator housing 21 is the cone shapeddispensing member 13 having a peripheral annular lip 14. The annular lipis spaced from housing 21 as shown in FIG. 1 and FIG. 2 and is shown ingreater detail in FIG. 10 and FIG. 11.

FIG. 3 shows the isolated side view of the gyrator 12 with a drive motor22 secured to the underside of the housing extension 21 a. A cylindricalmember 21 c extends upward from housing 21 and a cone shaped dischargemember 21 e having an outlet 21 d extends downward from housing 20 withthe member 21 and 21 e secured to each other by bolts extending throughflanges 21 b and 21 h.

FIG. 4 shows an isolated top perspective view of a portion of housing 21without the gyration unit. A set of radial spokes 211 connects the innercylindrical housing member 21 j with the outer cylindrical housingmember 21 k. The radial supports 211 provide for energy transfer fromthe inner cylindrical housing member 21 j where the internal gyratingunit 28 is located.

FIG. 5 shows an isolated top perspective view of gyrator 12, which isshown in top view in FIG. 2 and side view in FIG. 3. Dispensing member13 is shown centrally positioned in cylindrical sidewall 21 c.Similarly, FIG. 6 shows an isolated bottom perspective view of gyrator12, which is shown in top view in FIG. 2 and in bottom view in FIG. 3.FIG. 6 shows the outlet 21 d where material is discharged from gyratorhousing 21

FIG. 7 shows an isolated sectional view of gyrator 12 showing theannular distance x between the outer peripheral lip 14 and thecylindrical 21 c that forms an annular flow path for material as itflows through gyrator 12. FIG. 7 also shows a belt tensioner 35comprising an L-shaped member 31 that has one portion 31 b secured tomotor 22 and to housing 21 a by stud bolts 33 and the other end 31 aextending perpendicular therefrom to receive a bolt 32. As the drivebelt 23 can stretch under use one can move the motor 22 radially outwardto increase the tension on belt 23 by rotating bolt 32 which pulls arm31 a radially outward. Similarly, one can decrease the tension on belt23 by rotating bolt 32 in the opposite direction, which causes the motorand drive shaft to move radially inward. Thus the tension of the beltcan be adjusted without having to disassemble the housing 21 a.

FIG. 8 shows the gyrator 12 with the gyrator housing 21 flexiblysupported from stand 20 by a set of radially positioned flexing members40 that prevent rotation of dispensing member 13 but permit gyration ofdispensing member 13 as well as provide uniform engagement of the flange45 with the elastomers 41. Flexing members 40 comprise a threaded shaft40 a having one end with a set of elastomers 41 that sandwichinglyengage a flange 45 on stand 20 and the opposite end with an identicalset of elastomers 41 that sandwichingly engage the flange formed byflanges 21 b and 21 e.

FIG. 8A shows an isolated detail view of a portion of flexible support40 revealing a rigid sleeve 43 that extends around threaded shaft 40 awith a top end of rigid sleeve 43 engaging a rigid washer 43 and thelower end of rigid sleeve 43 engaging a further rigid washer 43 a. Thesleeve 43 is clamped between a top rigid washer 43 and a lower rigidwasher 43 a by an upper nut 42 and a lower double nut 42 a to form arigid housing for the annular elastomers 41. Flange 45 has an opening 45a therein that allows the flange 45 to move up and down along sleeve 43.The rigid housing with the elastomers sandwichingly therebetween allowsthe flange to compressively and more uniformly engage each of the entireannular elastomers 41 during the operation of the gyrator 12. Similarly,an identical arrangement of a rigid sleeve and rigid washers is locatedin the lower portion of shaft 40 a and is not described herein.

The use of elastomers 41 to interface the shaft 40 a to both stand 20and to gyrator 12 provides for both static and dynamic support ofgyrator 12 to allow for vibration displacement of the gyrator 12 withrespect to stand 20 while at the same time providing support to holdgyrator 12 in the dispensing condition proximate outlet 11 b. Anidentical flexible support 40′ is located on the opposite side ofgyrator 12 and in the preferred embodiment flexible supports arecircumferentially positioned around the gyrator 12 to provide 360 degreesupport to the gyrator 12.

FIG. 8 shows the material in hopper 50 maintaining itself in anonflowable condition when the gyrator 12 is in the off condition. Thatis, the material 50 extends down along member 13 to a position were theup turned annular lip 14 retains the material thereon. A verticaldistance Y denotes the distance between the bottom of outlet 11 b anddispensing member 13 and is referred herein as the feed region height.In this condition material 50 in hopper can be maintained in animmediate ready to dispense condition without the use of a gate to shutoff the flow of materials through correlation of the feed region heightwith the angle of repose of the material.

FIG. 8 also shows a lower dispensing cone 21 that receives material 50forming an angle Ω with the horizontal. Dispensing cone 21 has a lowfriction surface 21 f to allow material 50 to slide thereon and has theangle Ω greater than the angle of repose of the material to ensure thatthe material 50 being dispensed from hopper 11 will not accumulatethereon and can be carried quickly through outlet 21 b. In someapplications the lower dispensing cone 21 may not be used, in thosecases the material is dispensed directly into another container as itfalls off lip 14. When a lower dispensing cone is used the angle of thecone is selected so material will not adhere thereon in the staticcondition and in addition the slope and the outlet 21 b should allow forremoval of material faster than can be dispensed to avoid accumulatingmaterial on the lower dispensing cone that could choke off the flow. Inaddition, with a steep slope and low friction surface 21 f the materialcan not accumulate on the lower dispensing cone 21, consequently, thelower dispensing cone will be free of material once the gyration of thefeeder ceases.

FIG. 9 illustrates the flow of material 50 from hopper 11 to outlet 21 donce the gyrator 12 is activated by powering the gyrating unit 28. Note,the material 50 flows over annular lip 14 and falls down unto lowerconverging cone 21, which directs the material to outlet 21 d. That is,the gyrating motion of gyrator housing 21 causes the material to flowfrom hopper 11 to outlet 21 d. By controlling the gyrations of housing21 one can control the rate of material being dispensed. That is, byincreasing the gyration action one can increase the flow of materialwhile decreasing the gyration action allows one to decrease the flow ofmaterial. This is particularly useful if one is attempting to meter aprecise amount of material into a container since one can decreasegyrating action as one approaches the amount of needed material tothereby provide a better topping off control.

FIG. 10 shows a cross section view of dispensing lip 14 of length Lpositioned in housing 21 when hopper 11 is in an empty condition. In theembodiment shown the distance L denotes the length of annular lip 14.The distance x denotes the radial spacing between the peripheral edge ofannular lip 14 and the housing 21 and Y (the feed region height) denotesthe distance from the end of the outlet 11 b to the surface 13 a ofdispensing member 13, which is the feed region that the material mustflow through to leave hopper 10. In operation it is this distance Y,which will vary during the gyration of dispensing member 13, and it isthe variation of the distance Y as the dispensing member 13 moves inresponse to the true circular orbital vibratory motion of the gyrator12, which is illustrated in FIGS. 11A and 11B which causes material toflow along dispensing member 13 and over lip 14.

FIG. 11 shows a static or no flow condition with material 50 located onthe surface 13 a of dispensing member 13, which partially obstructs theoutlet 11 b. The material on surface 13 a of member 13 is held fromflowing off by coaction of upward extending lip 14 and the materialangle of repose (the steepest angle at which a sloping surface formed ofa particular loose material is stable). By extending the lip 14 a lengthL upward the material stops flowing when the angle Ø of the material isless than the angle of repose of the material thereon. The static or noflow condition is further illustrated in FIG. 8.

By selecting the distance Y such that the material 50 can settle onsurface 13 a at an angle less than the material angle of repose oneprevents material from continuing to flow off the end of annular lip 14when the gyration unit is in an off condition. That is, one selects thespacing Y such that the material 50 that is on surface 13 a will flowalong surface 13 a but does not flow over lip when the dispensing memberis not subject to gyrations. It should be understood that the spacing Ywill vary depending on the material angle of repose as well as the typeof material. In general, an operator adjusts or calibrates the spacingi.e. the feed region height, is set sufficiently high so the materialthat is in hopper 10 can flow down to lip along surface 13 a but willnot flow over the annular lip 14 when the gyrator is in the offcondition. The static spacing of the feed region can be adjusted thoughlengthening or shortening the flexible supports 40 which are locatedcircumferentially around gyrator housing 21.

To appreciate the gyration of the dispensing member 13 reference shouldbe made to FIG. 8, FIG. 11A and FIG. 11B which shows the static verticalaxis 90 of the dispensing member in relationship to the dynamic centralaxis 80 of the dispensing member 13.

FIG. 8 shows the condition when there is no gyration of dispensingmember 13, in this condition the static vertical axis 90 and the centralaxis 80 of dispensing member 13 are in alignment with each other.

FIG. 11A illustrates the dispensing member 13 at one point in thegyration cycle and FIG. 11B shows the dispensing member at a secondpoint 180 degrees later in the gyration cycle. A reference distance S₁indicates the distance of the vertical edge of lip to outlet 11 b as aresult of the lateral displacement (i.e. that is substantially in an x-yplane) of the dispensing member 13. In this condition the feed height Y₁has decreased. However, on the opposite side the feed height Y₃ hasincreased since the dispensing member 13 has moved away from dispensingmember 13.

FIG. 11 b shows that the distance between the outlet 11 b and the edgeon the lip 14 is now S₂, which is less than S₁. Consequently, the feedregion height Y₂ has increased and the feed region Y₄ on the oppositeside has decreased through movement of the dispensing membersubstantially in the x-y plane.

Thus, the gyration of the dispensing member 13 in a true circularorbital vibratory motion causes a local uniform flow of material overthe lip 14 as the feed region height increases. Since the feed heightregion increases at a uniform rate the flow over the edge of the lipremains uniform as the delivery of the material makes a 360 sweep aroundthe dispensing member 13.

FIG. 11C and FIG. 11D are schematic of the top of cone with two areas offlow designated. FIG. 11C shows a region designated by Mx where there ismaximum flow over the annular lip 14 of dispensing member 13 and theregion designated by Mn, which is diametrically opposite and has minimumor no flow. A point A has been marked on cone 13 in both FIGS. 11C and11 d to show that the cone 13 does not rotate. As the gyration continuesthe region of maximum flow Mx moves clockwise around the cone 13 asillustrated in FIG. 11D which shows that both the region Mx and Mn haverotated about 90 degrees from their original position. The dynamicposition of the central axis 80 of the dispensing member 13 is indicatedby reference numeral 80 while reference numeral 90 indicating the staticlocation of dispensing member central axis if the dispensing member 13were at rest.

FIG. 11E shows a top view of the static vertical axis 90 with thecircumnavigating path 81 of the dynamic dispensing member axis 80 aboutthe static vertical axis 90. The arrows indicate that the dynamic axis80 follows a circular like path about static vertical axis 90 during thecircular orbital gyration of dispensing member 13.

As illustrated by the drawings the gyration of dispensing member 13causes a portion of the cone surface 13 to be closer to the edge ofoutlet 11 b and a portion to be further from the edge of outlet 11 b.However, as the cone 13 gyrates the distance Y which causes flow alongthe cone surface 13 a travel 360 degrees around the outlet 11 b and indoing so cause the rate of material 50 flowing over the lip to locallyincrease.

Because the dispensing member 13 gyrates the maximum distance variationbetween the cone surface 13 a and the outlet 11 b circumnavigates aroundthe outlet 11 b thereby causing maximum material to flow when a portionof cone is in the position shown in the left side of FIG. 11B and noflow or low flow when the cone surface 13 a is in the position shown inthe left side of FIG. 11A.

Thus the gyration of cone 13 causes the spacing Y between the hopper lip11 b to vary with the variation in spacing circumnavigating around thehopper lip 11 b. The localized flow of material increases with increasedspacing Y and decreases with a decrease in spacing Y. As a result theflow of material from one portion of the hopper and then from adjacentportion of the hopper circumnavigates around the dispensing manner in amanner similar to a wave propagating.

FIG. 12 shows a sectional view of an alternate gyration bin dischargesystem 60 and FIG. 13 shows a section view of the bin discharge system60 taken along lines 13-13 of FIG. 12. Bin discharge system 60 includesa hopper 61 having a top section 61 a or inlet for placing materialsinto the hopper and a lower cylindrical a hopper outlet 61 c thatfunnels material into a gyrator 66. The alternate embodiment shown inFIGS. 12 and 13 also produces a true circular orbital vibratory motionof the dispensing member even though the gyration unit is not locatedalong a static vertical axis of the gyrator housing.

FIG. 12 shows the gyrator 66 includes a gyrator housing 65 having afirst vibratory motor 63 mounted on one side of housing 65 and a secondvibratory motor 64 mounted diametrically opposite. The gyrator housing65 includes a cone shaped dispensing member 62 having an annular lip 67and an interior radial members 65 a with a hub 65 b. A conical shapedmember 65 c funnels material into outlet 65 d. In the embodiment of FIG.13 the actual unit that produces the gyration of the gyrator housing 65is not located in the center as shown in FIG. 1 but is located externalto the gyrator housing 65. The annular lip and the relationship to thehopper is identical that is described in FIGS. 1-11 and will not bedescribed herein.

The gyrator feeder 60 differs from the bin gyrator feeder 10 in that thegyrator housing 12 has a single vibration producing unit i.e. the offset rotateable weights located on a vertical central axis of the gyratorwith the drive motor 22 located on the peripheral portion of the housing12. In contrast, the gyrator housing 66 has two vibration producingunits i.e vibratory motors, wherein both the vibratory motors areradially spaced from the central axis 73 of the gyrator 66. In thisembodiment a drive motor and a set of offset weights are in the samelocation, that is both vibratory motor 63 and vibratory motor 64 includea drive motor and a set of offset rotateable weights comprising thegyration unit that are directly coupled to the motor drive shaft. Byhaving the vibratory motor 63 and 64 positioned diametrically oppositefrom each other one can induce a true circular orbital vibratory motionin gyration housing 65, when it is flexibly suspended by flexiblesupports 70, which are identical to the flexible supports shown in FIG.8.

In order to achieve a true circular orbital vibratory motion FIG. 12 thevibratory motors 63 and 64 are synchronized with the motors rotating inthe same direction. In the synchronized condition the weights are in thesame position for each vibratory motor. That is, if the offset weight invibratory motor 63 is at the 3 o'clock position the offset weight in themotor 64 will also be at the 3 o'clock position. As a consequence thedispensing member 62 produces a true circular orbital vibratory motionin the x-y plane.

Thus, the rotation of off balance shafts at opposite sides of thegyrator housing 65 can also produces a lateral gyrating action ofhousing 65 i.e., a true circular orbital vibratory motion or lateralside-to-side motion as differentiated from up and down motion found inconventional vibration bin dischargers as well as elliptical orbitmotion found in some units which produce non-uniform dispensing rates

Thus the invention includes the method of dispensing material comprisingthe steps of: placing material in a hopper having an outlet edge; andgyrating a dispensing member located below the outlet edge to cause thedispensing member to simultaneously and circumferentially vary thedistance between the outlet edge and the dispensing member to therebyincrease the flow along a portion of the dispensing member and decreasethe material flow along another portion of the dispensing member. Theinvention also includes a method of stopping the gyration to shut offthe flow over the dispensing member while maintaining an open spacingbetween the outlet edge and the dispensing member which can be obtainedby having the opening spacing Y maintained at a distance such that theangle of the material on the dispensing member 13 which flows throughthe feed region does not exceed an angle of repose of the material.

1. A gyrator feeder comprising: a hopper having an outlet; a gyratorhaving a dispensing member partially obstructing the outlet with thedispensing member having a lip for retaining a material thereon whensaid gyrator is in an off condition and for dispensing materialthereover when the gyrator is gyrating.
 2. The gyrator feeder of claim 1including a stand having flexible supports for said gyrator to permitgyration of said gyrator with respect to said outlet.
 3. The gyratorfeeder of claim 1 wherein the gyrator includes an internal gyrating unitthat is centrally positioned along a vertical axis of said gyrator. 4.The gyrator feeder of claim 2 wherein the internal gyrating unit ispowered by a motor located radially off center of said gyrator.
 5. Thegyrator feeder of claim 4 wherein the dispensing member has a dynamiccentral axis that circumnavigates about a static vertical axis of thedispensing member.
 6. The gyrator feeder of claim 2 wherein the gyratorincludes a drive belt connect to the internal gyration unit and atensioner for adjusting the tension of the drive belt.
 7. The gyratorfeeder of claim 2 wherein the dispensing member includes a cone shapedmember.
 8. The gyrator feeder of claim 1 wherein the gyrator includes aninternal gyrating unit having a rotateable shaft with an offset weight.9. The gyrator feeder of claim 7 wherein the lip of the gyrator is anannular lip that is circumferentially spaced from a gyrator housing topermit material flow therepast.
 10. The gyrator feeder of claim 1wherein the gyration unit includes two vibration units locateddiametrically opposite of each other to gyrate the gyrator housing withthe vibration units synchronized with each other.
 11. The gyrator feederof claim 2 wherein the flexible supports include a set of elastomerssandwiched around a flange with a sleeve extending through the set ofelastomers to engage a set of washers to provide a ridge housing fordisplacement of the set of elastomers therein.
 12. The gyrator feeder ofclaim 1 wherein the dispensing member is positioned a distance y belowthe outlet wherein the distance y is determined at least partially bythe angle of repose of material to be dispensed.
 13. The gyrator feederof claim 1 including a lower dispensing member having an angle greaterthan the angle of repose of the material to prevent accumulation ofmaterial thereon during operation of the gyrator feeder.
 14. The gyratorfeeder of claim 1 wherein the dispensing member extends radially beyondthe outlet but spaced from the outlet to thereby partially obstruct butnot block a flow passage between the outlet and the dispensing member.15. The gyrator feeder of claim 1 wherein the gyrator comprises a pairof vibratory motors positioned radially outward from a central axis ofthe gyrator.
 16. A gyrator feeder comprising: a gyrator housing flexiblysuspended; a gyration unit affixed to said gyrator housing and locatedalong a vertical central axis of the gyration housing; and a motorradially off set from the gyration unit for propelling the gyration unitto generate a true circular orbital vibratory motion of the gyratorhousing.
 17. The gyrator feeder of claim 16 wherein the gyration unitcomprises a rotateable shaft having off set weights and a drive motorwith the rotateable shaft centrally positioned in the gyrator.
 18. Thegyrator of claim 16 wherein the gyration unit comprising a firstvibratory motor radially spaced from a central axis of the gyratorhousing and a second vibratory motor radially spaced from the centralaxis of the gyrator housing.
 19. The gyrator of claim 18 wherein thegyrator housing includes an annular lip for maintain a material thereonwherein the annular lip extends upwardly to maintain material on adispensing member when the gyration unit is in an off condition.
 20. Thegyrator feeder of claim 19 including a stand and a gravity feed hopperwherein the gyrator is stand mounted below a gravity feed hopper with aplurality of flexible supports circumferentially positioned around saidgyrator.
 22. The method of dispensing material comprising the steps of:placing a dispensable material on a dispensing member having a retaininglip; generating a true circular orbital vibratory motion in thedispensing member by either rotating an offset weight along a verticalaxis of the dispensing member or by positioning vibratory motorsdiametrical opposite from each other on a gyrator housing andsynchronizing the vibratory motors with each other to dispense material.23. The method of claim 22 including: placing material in a hopperhaving an outlet edge; gyrating the dispensing member located below theoutlet edge to cause the dispensing member to simultaneously andcircumferentially vary the distance between the outlet edge and thedispensing member to thereby increase the flow along a portion of thedispensing member spaced the farthest from the outlet edge and decreasethe material flow along another portion of the dispensing member spacedthe closes to the outlet edge.
 24. The method of claim 22 including thestep of stopping the gyration of the dispensing member to shut off theflow over the dispensing member.
 25. The method of claim 24 wherein thestep of stopping the gyration dispensing while maintaining an openspacing between the outlet edge and the dispensing member.
 26. Themethod of claim 22 wherein the opening spacing is maintained at adistance such that the angle of the material on the dispensing memberdoes not exceed an angle of repose of material.
 27. The method of claim22 wherein the gyration of the dispensing member is increased toincrease a dispensing rate and the gyration of the dispensing member isdecreased to decrease the dispensing rate.